


see both sides

by movements



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Assassins, BAMF Klaus Hargreeves, Gangs, Gen, Good Brother Ben Hargreeves, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, No Incest, Police Officer Dave Katz, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Slow Burn, the Hargreeves are assassins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-10-24 21:57:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20713178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/movements/pseuds/movements
Summary: ‘Daddy dearest’s little assassins’ Klaus called all of them.If Reginald knew that the son of one of the biggest people in the city was wearing heels and sneaking out into the night, there would be nothing keeping Klaus alive.Of course, Klaus does it anyways-an eventual klave gang/assassin au thing. tags will be updated as it goes!





	see both sides

**Author's Note:**

> so this is a sort-of gang au, but it’s not really a gang bc the hargreeves were raised as assassins. 
> 
> this is also klave so !!

It was no secret.

It was obvious in the way Klaus stumbled through his window at some ungodly hour, breath drenched in alcohol and weed, lipstick smeared across his lips and cheeks and neck. Eyeliner smudged and runny with sweat and tears, from whatever it was Klaus got up into. Whatever it was, he always came back seeming happy and _ free _. It always tugged at Ben to ask, but Klaus was usually passed out before they could speak.

Klaus drowned himself in a world that none of them had ever been able to experience.

The first night that Ben had actually caught Klaus sneaking out, they’d just finished eating dinner together. Seated in their matching clothing, standard and plain. Klaus had always complained about them, but Ben had always just chalked him up as dramatic. Ben never had a major problem with his own clothing, but Klaus despised it with a passion.

After they finished their dinner, they were sent to bed. Ben quickly changed into his pajamas, before making his way to Klaus’ room down the hall. They’d both fallen not the habit of sleeping near each other, and Klaus usually made room for Ben to sleep next to him, both of them too frightened and too lonely to sleep in an empty bed. Klaus too haunted and Ben scared of what lurked under his own skin.

When he reached Klaus’ room, he froze in the doorway.

‘Hey— oh! Shut the door, Ben!’ He hissed, and Ben realized it _ was _ probably a stupid idea to leave the door open. He took a step into the room, and closed it.

Ben blinked. ‘Klaus- what are you doing?’ He asked, and he was adopting his _ you’re-being-suspicious _ tone, eyes narrowing as he looked his brother over. Klaus lifted his head a little in something like defiance.

He had traded out his ‘drab’ suit for a pair of… revealing black pants, and a pair of heels rested at the foot of his bed. His top half, he traded their matching embroidered sweaters for a crop top— in _ winter _ — with some horrendously oversized sweater draped over his shoulders. At least he had _ something _ that would prevent him from freezing to death. If Reginald saw him, he was literally as good as dead.

Klaus always pushed it with Father when it came to their dress codes. He’d cut his shirts, roll his shorts, steal Allison’s skirts. He always pushed it further and further, seeing just how far he could go each time. He’d apply eyeliner before training, spar Luther as it ran down his cheeks. Pout as he was knocked onto the floor, mourning his ‘perfect wing.’ Klaus was always much more of a pacifist anyway.

Reginald had a pretty tight grip on publicity, and none of his siblings were even allowed to breathe outside without getting their words and actions approved of first. Not to mention the mere danger of them being out in the streets alone, petty street gangs seeing the Hargreeves siblings as some sort of threat, even though they were still too young to even take over in their father’s business yet. They were being trained to take over, however, and Ben could see how that was somewhat of a threat, nevermind the leverage it could pose. Klaus would probably never inherit anything significant, that was all going to Luther. Diego too, but he was somewhat of a wild card. _ ‘Daddy’s little assassins’ _Klaus called all of them.

If Reginald knew that the son of one of the biggest people in the city was wearing heels and sneaking out into the night to hook up with some guy, there would be nothing keeping Klaus alive.

Not to mention the makeup Klaus was _ currently _ applying. Ben took a few more steps forward, and sat himself on the bed. He lifted his gaze to watch Klaus put on some mascara in the reflection of the mirror.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Why does it matter?’ Klaus used as a rebuttal.

Ben rolled his eyes. ‘Where are you _ going _, Klaus.’ He gritted, and knew he was starting to sound dangerously like Diego.

Klaus froze for a moment, whipping around to meet Ben’s eyes. His gaze was piercing and intense, yet maintained his usual lightheartedness. ‘I’m going to go _ live _ Benny! You should really try it sometime.’ He laughed.

Ben’s brow furrowed. ‘What do you mean?’ He flickered his gaze toward the little pills resting on his counter, and his eyes widened. ‘Don’t tell me, Klaus—‘

‘Ben, Ben, Ben. That’s just one part of the fun! There’s so much more out there, Benny.’ Klaus’ eyes went wide with excitement, and Ben wondered if he was high right now.

The look on Ben’s face was apparently answer enough, because Klaus turned around with a dramatic sigh. Now he was clutching a lipstick, spreading it across his lips and puckering them. Their eyes met for a moment before Klaus rolled them.

‘Do you really care about what Dad says _ that much _? What Luther thinks?’ 

Ben blinks. ‘...Yes.’ There was no point in arguing. 

Another sigh. ‘You’re a lost cause, Benny.’ Ben only looked away, grasping for a book that he had left on Klaus’ nightstand. He ignored how much the words hurt.

But apparently Klaus could already tell, because sometimes Ben was convinced Klaus knew him better than he knew himself. ‘I’m sorry, Ben. I didn’t mean it. I just hate that you’re stuck here in this hellhole.’

‘And I hate that you go out and do drugs like this. It’s dangerous. And you have absolutely horrible decision-making skills.’ Ben deadpanned in response.

Klaus huffed out a sad laugh. ‘The risk is completely and utterly worth it, Benny baby. Anything’s better than _ here _. Of course, you wouldn’t know that because you never leave.’ He taunted.

Klaus wasn’t wrong. Out of the seven siblings, with the exclusion of Luther and Vanya, Ben probably had the least exposure with the outside world. He didn’t necessarily see it as a bad thing, but he was occasionally curious. 

‘Come with me.’ Klaus was saying suddenly, and when Ben met his eyes, they shone with defiance. 

His first instinct was to immediately decline. But he couldn’t help but wonder exactly how many times Klaus had done this before. Snuck out without anyone raising an eyebrow, too busy absorbed in their sleep. He’d imagined Diego would’ve tracked him down by now, dragged him back into his room and given him his own shovel talk.

Nevertheless, Ben felt some sort of exasperated responsibility over Klaus, watching him sneak out the window right in front of him. If he got hurt, or lost… Ben wouldn’t be able to shift the blame onto anyone but himself.

Klaus was still waiting for an answer, so Ben stuttered out a hesitant nod. Klaus practically squealed, and Ben had to shush him. He began making his way toward the window before Klaus stopped him.

‘You are not going out like that.’ Klaus stated, raising an eyebrow. ‘Let me pick something out for you.’

Ben looked Klaus over with one sweep of the eyes, and raised an eyebrow of his own. The clothes worked well enough on Klaus, but there was no way in hell Ben was risking his life freezing to death in some sheer crop top.

‘Okay, okay! I know _ this _ isn’t exactly your style. So: we’ll raid Diego’s closet.’ Ben eyed Klaus suspiciously, but waved him off. That was Ben’s version of permission, and Klaus returned with a pile of Diego’s clothes.

Klaus turned away and Ben changed into the clothes. They were dark, a bit big, and he’d borrowed from Diego so naturally there was absolutely zero color involved. It came in the form of a black hoodie.

As Ben shrugged the clothes onto himself he mumbled, ‘You know, you still haven’t answered my question.’

Klaus tilted his head toward Ben. ‘Oh, how so?’

‘Where are you going?’

‘I was _ gonna _ meet up with someone.’ 

‘A date?’

‘Yeah, you could say so.’ Klaus reasoned, and Ben tried to figure out if he was still planning on going. Ben didn’t have any romantic experience, but he did know that taking your brother along on your dates was not the norm. So he just asked.

‘Are you still going?’

‘Can’t exactly score dick with my brother hanging around.’ Klaus said, lip curling in disgust. 

Ben scoffed at the bluntness. ‘Gross, Klaus.’

Klaus’ lips spread into a grin, strapping his heels on. ‘Let’s get going, Benji.’

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> next chapter is klaus’ perspective!  
~  
leave feedback if you liked it! <3


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